JP2001-57226A, published by the Japan Patent Office in 2001,discloses a fuel cell and a fuel cell stack production method employing a cylindrical intermediate adapter. In this method, through-holes are formed in membrane-electrode assemblies (MEA) and separators, and the membrane-electrode assemblies (MEA) and the separators are alternately stacked, while passing the cylindrical intermediate adapter through the through-holes, thereby obtaining a fuel cell. Further, after production of multiple fuel cells, a shaft is allowed to pass through the intermediate adapters, to thereby obtain the fuel cell stack in which the multiple fuel cells are stacked.
JP2001-236971A, published by the Japan Patent Office in 2001 discloses a method in which, while the MEA is formed as a sheet, a first separator and a second separator are arranged at a given interval on the sheet, and the fuel cells are successively produced while feeding out those sheets. In this production method, each of the sheets are fed out so that the MEA and the first separator, and the MEA and the second separator are stacked, respectively, and those sheets are thermally compressed at a given position from outside. As a result, the first separator and the second separator are fitted to the MEA by pressure, to thereby successively obtain the fuel cells.
JP2003-163011A, published by the Japan Patent Office in 2003,discloses an MEA production method in which, while feeding out a film-like electrolyte membrane, electrode material powder is transferred in the midway from a drum to the electrolyte membrane, thereby producing the MEA.